Empty Calories....only worth it when they are not Empty Treats

I did pretty well points wise yesterday. I ate three more points more than my daily allowance but also earned five activity points so rather than losing three of my weekly allowance points I actually gained the differential of two more points.

I did have a momentary relapse in the Tim Horton's store after the gym though. I was a bit hungry and I thought I would find something healthy (or at least not unhealthy) to eat. Unfortunately it was a really small Tim Hortons with a limited supply of food and I just couldn't see anything good. Perhaps I just didn't want to see anything good.

Rather than take the smart road and simply "pass' I heard the following words come out of my mouth: "Oh well...I guess I have an excuse to splurge". I then promptly ordered a Maple Swirl donut and downed that sucker before I had even got out the door and onto the street. I barely even noticed it going down my throat.

Do I feel guilty about it? No. 

Do I regret it. Yes?

The problem is that it was the worst kind of what is often called empty calories...food of little nutritional value that is basically just junk food.

When losing weight we are often told to stay away from the empty calories. I don't completely agree with this. Sometimes empty calories are wonderful treats.

The problem, however, is that when these empty calories are consumed when one is on one's own they simply go down the hatch, and that is that. There was no "fun" involved, and in my case, I sometimes forget to even taste the food.

So my decision is to try to stop thinking about empty calories going forward and start thinking about empty treats. If I am out with friends and the empty calories are under control and contributing to a great evening then they may very well be worthwhile. If, however, I am on my own, and they are simply filling a "void", then these empty calories are also empty treats and are probably not worth having.

This is just a theory at this point. Using this logic is still untested.

I do hope, however, that if I try to remember this going forward it will help me to consume those empty calories as empty treats...in the right places and at the right time.

Here's hoping!

Be healthy,

Alan